Latest news with #Shibu
New Indian Express
03-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Body of missing African naval cadet recovered in Kochi
KOCHI: The body of Abdul Ibrahim, a 22-year-old African national naval cadet who went missing after being swept away by strong currents in the Kochi backwaters two days ago, was found on Tuesday morning. According to Shibu, Sub-Inspector of Harbour Police Station, the mortal remains were recovered near the south jetty of the Naval Base. The body was spotted close to the shore around 7 am and was later identified. Inquest procedures were conducted at Naval Hospital Sanjeevani in the presence of Navy officials. Following this, the remains were shifted to Ernakulam General Hospital for post-mortem examination, said Shibu.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Restaurant has no legal obligation to serve gravy with parotta and beef fry, says Kerala Consumer Court
In an unusual consumer dispute, a complaint against a Kerala restaurant for failing to serve complimentary gravy with a beef fry and porotta order has been dismissed by the Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC), according to a report by Bar and Bench. The Commission held that there was no legal or contractual obligation requiring the restaurant to provide free gravy, and therefore, no deficiency in service had occurred. (Also read: New York woman says she found dead rat in salad after eating 'two-thirds' of meal; restaurant denies claim) Presiding over the case, District Forum President DB Binu and members Ramachandran V and Sreevidhia TN unanimously ruled that the restaurant's decision did not breach any provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. 'In the instant case, there was no contractual obligation—express or implied—on the part of the Opposite Party to provide gravy. Therefore, the non-providing of gravy at the time of supplying porotta and beef cannot be considered as a deficiency in service from the part of opposite party No.1 and 2, and hence no enforceable consumer relationship arises in this respect,' the Commission observed. The complainant, journalist Shibu S Vayalakath, had visited The Persian Table, a restaurant located in Kolenchery, in November last year. After ordering beef fry and porotta, he requested gravy to accompany the meal, a request the restaurant denied, citing its internal policy of not providing complimentary gravy. Displeased by the refusal, Shibu initially approached the Kunnathunadu Taluk Supply Officer. A joint investigation by supply and food safety officers confirmed that the restaurant did not include gravy in its standard offerings. Subsequently, Shibu filed a consumer complaint demanding ₹1 lakh for emotional distress and mental agony, ₹10,000 in legal expenses, and punitive action against the establishment. He argued that the denial of gravy amounted to a restrictive trade practice and a deficiency in service. However, the forum disagreed, pointing out that the case did not concern the quality, quantity, or safety of food—criteria essential to establish a deficiency under the law. (Also read: 'No real estate or political talks': Bengaluru restaurant board catches internet's eye) As per the report by Bar and Bench, the Commission, relying on Section 2(11) of the Consumer Protection Act, held that since there was no mention of gravy in the menu or bill, the restaurant had neither misrepresented nor deceived the customer in any way. 'In the instant case, there is no evidence of any misrepresentation, false promise, or deceptive trade practice committed by the Opposite Party. Neither the menu nor the bill suggests that gravy was included with, or promised alongside, the ordered dishes. A restaurant's internal policy regarding accompaniments cannot, in the absence of a legal or contractual obligation, be construed as a deficiency in service,' it ruled. With that, the forum dismissed the complaint, affirming that the absence of free gravy did not violate any consumer rights.
New Indian Express
27-04-2025
- New Indian Express
Customs foils bid to smuggle hybrid ganja at Kochi airport
KOCHI: In a major drug bust, the Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive) unit has foiled an attempt to smuggle 5.5kg of hybrid ganja through the Kochi airport and arrested Malappuram native Shibu A K. The accused was scheduled to fly to Ras-Al-Khaimah in UAE on Thursday. Acting on a tip-off, the officers intercepted Shibu at the airport's departure hall. The ganja was found concealed in 12 packets inside his trolley bag. The seized drug is valued at approximately Rs 5.5 crore. Customs officials suspect that Shibu was acting as a carrier for a narcotics network trafficking drugs to the UAE. Investigators revealed that the hybrid ganja had been sourced from Bangkok and was being smuggled to the UAE, where it commands a higher price. 'This is the first time a person has been arrested for attempting to smuggle hybrid ganja out of Kerala to a foreign country. It points to the existence of a drug trafficking network operating from the state,' a customs officer said. Typically, hybrid ganja seizures at the airport involve passengers arriving from Bangkok. Shibu was produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody. Customs officials plan to seek his custody for a detailed interrogation.
New Indian Express
24-04-2025
- New Indian Express
When Kerala police went on a Gujarat road trip to pick up cyber fraudster
This one began with a hush-hush of easy money and ended with a high-stakes manhunt across blistering highways and the bustling alleys of Surat. When a resident of Kizhakkambalam in Ernakulam recently reported the loss of Rs 7.8 lakh in an online trading scam, it appeared to be just another cybercrime. But what followed was a covert operation straight out of a crime thriller. A special investigation team (SIT), guided by Ernakulam Rural Police Chief Vaibhav Saxena, swung into action. What followed were false identities, undercover disguises, and a stakeout that culminated in the dramatic arrest of a seasoned fraudster – 34-year-old Gujarat native Reeten Hakkani. Thadiyittaparambu Station House Officer P J Kuriakose recalls the case:'The victim came into contact with the accused through social media and was lured with promises of high returns from online trading. After gaining his trust, the accused asked him to invest through an app.' Between February 17 and 7 March, the victim transferred Rs 7.8 lakh to multiple bank accounts. 'However, when he attempted to withdraw the displayed 'profits', the accused demanded a commission. This prompted the victim to file a complaint,' Kuriakose says. The SIT traced the money trail to banks in Aurangabad and Surat. Senior Civil Police Officer K K Shibu, who was part of the team, notes that the funds were eventually withdrawn using a cheque in Surat. After freezing the bank accounts involved, the team quickly left for Gujarat. 'We chose to travel in our own vehicle. It was essential for the operation, as we needed the vehicle for local travel in Surat and to bring the accused back,' says Shibu. 'Driving such a long distance in the scorching heat, with temperatures touching nearly 42 degrees in some places, was quite exhausting. Once in Surat, we also had to conceal the Kerala state registration number of our vehicle to avoid alerting the accused. We would park the vehicle in discreet locations, or cover the number plates with cloth or dry leaves to maintain our cover.' Officers visited the bank concerned to collect Reteen's address. But the documents used to open the account turned out to be fake, including a counterfeit Aadhaar. 'Further investigation revealed that the accused had opened multiple accounts in Surat using fake documents, which posed the first major challenge,' says Shibu. The breakthrough came when a bank manager, familiar with the locality, offered to help. 'He provided us with bank ID cards and suggested we pose as audit officers,' says Shibu. 'That's how we located the suspect's luxury flat. Disguised as bank staff conducting KYC verifications, we visited the flat. But there, we found only his mother, who refused to provide any contact details.' Then came a filmy twist when Reeten himself contacted Shibu via WhatsApp, having found the latter's mobile number on a notice regarding the freezing of his and his mother's bank accounts. 'I told him I could help reactivate his mother's account – at a 'cost'. To earn his trust, I demanded a bribe,' Shibu smiles. 'He offered Rs 1 lakh. I told him I wanted a heftier sum. He then claimed only Rs 2.54 lakh was left in the account, and offered the whole amount. I pretended as if I didn't trust him and asked for a bank statement to verify his claim. He agreed to visit the bank and get the necessary document.' Officers were split to positions in and around the bank for surveillance. Reeten did arrive at the bank, but he hesitated to enter the bank. Like an ace criminal, he suspected a trap. As if he could smell police presence in the area. Reteen attempted to flee on a motorcyle as a plainclothes officer approached him. 'We intercepted after a brief chase and took him into custody,' says Shibu. During the return journey to Kerala, Reeten refused to cooperate or eat. He even offered a bribe of up to Rs 15 lakh. 'He promised that the money would be arranged by a 'bhai' in Mumbai,' says Shibu. Grilling revealed that Reeten's younger brother was the mastermind behind the scam, operating through a fraudulent trading app called 'Alice Blue' from Ludhiana, Punjab. The police are now tracking three more individuals linked to this cyber fraud network. Time for another road trip.
